Long Beach Police Department gets traffic safety grant

The Long Beach Police Department has been awarded a $133,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for a yearlong program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on Long Beach's roadways through special enforcement and public awareness efforts.

The LBPD has said it will use the funding as part of an ongoing commitment to keep roadways safe through enforcement and education.

The grant will assist in efforts to deal with traffic safety problems and to reduce the number of people killed and injured in traffic collisions. While traffic deaths from all causes declined by nearly 39 percent between 2006 and 2010 in California, state and federal officials anticipate that figures will show a slight rise in 2011.

DUI deaths remain the largest sector, at nearly 30 percent of traffic fatalities. Recent trends show increases in two new categories - distracted driving and drug-impaired driving.